Case 58
Started flying lessons first week of August, 1999. Racked up enough hours by early September that it was time to schedule my medical. Had my medical exam the last week of September. Bad news times two. One: high blood pressure. It had been normal prior to this physical. Two: AME found a lump under my right jaw in the neck. [A little background: I have Horner's Syndrome, diagnosed in 98. It means my right eye does not dilate, the eye lid droops very slightly and I don't sweat on the upper part of the right side of my face. It is usually caused by damage to a nerve that travels from the chest up through the neck to the brain, eye, sweat glands (one nerve on each side). The damage can be from several kinds of tumors, or carotid artery problems, etc. Generally, nothing good. After a number of tests, MRI, etc. they found no cause. It's a permanent condition, but not particularly difficult to deal with.]

Needless to say, my third-class was deferred to our friends in OKC. And I was off for a visit to my personal physician. He ran me through the typical cardiovascular work up, blood work, EKG, etc. And put me on Zestril to control the HBP. He was unable to feel the lump the AME found, but sent me to a specialist for another look.

The ear, nose, throat specialist took one quick feel of my neck and said the AME made a good catch. He did a fine needle aspirate biopsy and scheduled a CT scan. The biopsy came back inconclusive, the CT showed a mass the size of your little finger from the tip to second nuckle. Surgery was scheduled for early November. Surgery went well, lump removed, lump benign. Tumor was also cause of the Horner's Syndrome, mystery solved.

It's now early December '99. I'm back in the cockpit flying. But, no word from OKC. I finally got my first letter from the FAA in early March 2000. Send BP readings for 3 days and medical records first week in April (delayed by getting medical records). Info sent. 5 weeks later, 2nd letter from the FAA. "Oh, you're on medication for HBP. Send us a cardiovascular workup that has been done in the last 6 months, and a prognosis from the tumor surgery.". It's now been 7 months since the initial cardio workup. Back to the doctor for a $300 visit to satisfy the FAA. Sent it all to OKC, express mail.

That was 4.5 weeks ago. I called today to check on the status of my medical. It has been sent to typing. I'll have it within a week. That would be about July 20th or so. If my calendar math is correct that will be approximately 10 months. Since i'm 38 years old now, this medical would ordinarily be good for 3 years. However, mine will be good for 2 years, 2 months.

Case 57
First off, stop worrying so much, or you'll need another prescription. I was in the same boat as you. Was starting a new business, thyroid decided to do a nosedive, chemical balance in the body got screwy, large-scale bad event occurred and WHAM!! Pass the prozak, please. This happened about 5 years ago and was an isolated incident, only putting me into so called funk for about 10 days. But, it DID happen, and as a result I too was very apprehensive about going to the AME for my medical.

I kicked myself in the butt, went to the AME, was HONEST on the form, and waited for the failure. AME was very polite and asked if everything was alright now. Told me he couldn't in good conscience issue the med. cert. without a letter from the doctor. Told me to get it and come back. I drove across town, got the letter (said I was fine and no reason I couldn't fly) and returned to the AME. He issued the 3rd Class, and told me if FAA had a problem they would contact me. They sent me a letter stating "okay" as long as there are no problems in the future.

As for the FAA being 40 years in the past, I disagree. The last thing I want as a pilot are for other pilots flying who may be emotionally unstable. You are making the process much more difficult than it is. The biggest problem is that you seem to be unwilling to DO IT. I understand your fear, but waiting won't help you. And stop worrying about being "blacklisted". You're either eligible, or you're not. How's that for a kick in the ass? You're not the only person who has been in this situation. Decide to conquer your fears.

Case 56
Back in late 1999, I decided it was time to quit watching the planes fly over my house and join them. I figured that my blood pressure was close enough to being high that I should do something about it. I went to the doctor and was put on a low dose of Ace Inhibitor. Several hours into lessons, I called a local AME and asked what I needed to bring with me for my medical. I got blood tests done, and medical history gathered and was off to the doctor with all that was requested. He issued the medical to me in late January. The certificate says that the FAA has 60 days to challenge the medical.

That brings us to today...
Five months later, I have received a letter saying that the FAA requires an EKG from me. Somewhat frustrated, I was off to the doctor to get the EKG. A very young nurse came in and said "I thing we can apply these without shaving", and stuck the probes on my chest. They weren't sticking as well as they should apparently, because she was holding one of them on during the test. The test came back "Borderline Abnormal - Unconfirmed Analysis". Now I am going for an echocardiogram in late June. One problem is that I am not sure I am going to have the test results back by the time the FAA wanted my EKG.

Should I send the Borderline EKG back with an explanation and follow up with the echo results later, wait to get everything back to send it, or is there some way out of this mess since they waited so long to ask for the extra info?

I have about 27.5 hours in and went on my first cross-country today in a new 172 that didn't have its first 100 hours on it yet. I'm having the time of my life, and am EXTREMELY fearful that this isn't going to work out. I hear about people who have all kinds of extreme problems who are able to fly. I'm young and healthy other than a bit of a blood pressure issue. What happens next? Advice from the crowd would be extremely appreciated. I am not yet an AOPA member, so I can't call them... Could they help with anything? 

Case 55
Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2000 14:26:26 -0400
Gene,
Here you go, it took a while for it to all play out, and I wanted to give you the complete story. Hopefully I'll be taking my check ride early next month, time money, and weather cooperating!
On Wed, 05 Apr 2000 05:01:21 GMT, you wrote:
Could you write a time-line account of how your medical has not moved. I would like to put it in my 'Medical from Hell' section of my web site. Gene Whitt

Sure, It's not nearly as traumatic as some I've read on your page, but annoying none-the-less. I've racked up quite a few dual hours waiting on this, including flying an IFR plan from Nassau to PBI last week, (of course, my father-in-law was PIC)

09/20/1990 - I underwent a cornea transplant in my left eye to treat a condition known as keratoconus. The operation was a complete success and I put it behind me until that fateful day 10 years later when I truthfully listed the operation on my application for my 3rd class medical.

10/20/1999 - The local FAA doctor said I was fine until he looked at my application and recoiled at the sight of "MAJOR EYE SURGERY" Even though he thought my eye looked fine and I offered to to let him talk to my eye doctor, he said that he "has no choice but to defer my application." My guess is that his choice was not to jeopardize his bread and butter income from 15 minute FAA exams. The doctor assured me that he had a way to send the application in that would take 30 to 60 days at the most. I went to he surgeon who did the transplant, he examined me and wrote a letter explaining that my eye was perfectly healed and would in no way hinder my flying ability. The FAA doctor sent it in and I started the long wait. Oh well I had to knock off the ground school stuff anyway.

11/20/1999 - I finished up the ground school and passed the written (92%),but the flight school said that it wasn't "their policy" to do any flight instruction, even dual, until I had my medical in hand.

12/13/1999 - I found another school and started flying!

12/20/1999 - 60 days are up, no word from the FAA, the local FAA doctor told me that it was out of his hands, and to just wait until after the holidays.

1/11/2000 - Got the AOPA on the case. They are very nice, but said that they could only submit status requests in bulk once a week, and I just missed it for this week, rats!

02/15/2000 - Finally got through the FAA's "call long distance and press buttons until you get a busy signal" system and talked to Trish. Amazingly, their computers were up, or at least she was typing away on a keyboard, she could have been playing Tetris for all I know ;-) Anyway she said they had my paperwork and it was "waiting for review." No hint on what that means, or how long it will take. At least they acknowledged my existance.

2/24/2000 - I called the FAA again, talked to Fuscia. She couldn't tell me anything, but said that she would put a note on the reviewer's desk saying I called. I asked if she could check where I was in "the pile", since she was going to the reviewer's office with a note anyway. She said the reviewer was "out" and she couldn't do anymore.

3/17/2000 - Made my weekly call to the FAA. Fortunately I have free long distance on my cell phone! Spoke to Ladonna. She was sympathetic, but couldn't offer me much hope. They really need someone to do "triage" and sort out the simple cases, like mine, and get them out quickly. I have the impression that they take them in order, and if it takes weeks to sort out the guy with quintuple bypass and a wooden leg, then so be it!

3/20/2000 - Joanne from AOPA called, they had word from the FAA that my case had been
reviewed "favorably", and that I should receive my paperwork in a week!

4/05/2000 It's been over a week, I called the FAA and talked to Ladonna again, this time on the newly discovered toll free number (800 350-5286), this time I got right through! Ladonna acknowledged that my certification had been approved, but on 4/3, not 3/20. It will take a week to 10 days through typing. I wonder if this a "real" or a "government" week. If I could log flight hours using the same time scale as the FAA, then I'd be a commercial airline pilot by now!

4/14/2000 Still no certificate, so I got back on the phone to the FAA. This time I talked to Melanie. I confirmed my mailing address with her and she said that I should have received my certificate by now. She said to give it another week or so and if it still didn't come then they would send me a duplicate. In the mean time she would see about sending a fax confirmation. Later... The FAX came, I'm legal!, at least for the next 2 months.

4/28/2000 Still no mail from OKC. I talked to Ladonna again, she said that they mailed my certificate 3 weeks ago. I asked if they knew this for sure, but they don't keep any records of what they send and, once again, there's nothing they can do. I asked for a duplicate, but apparently that's beyond their powers too. She said to call back if it doesn't arrive before my FAX expires. I'm not sure what good that will do, if they aren't capable of issuing a duplicate certificate...Meanwhile, 20+ kt gusting crosswinds on EVERY flying day are pushing my solo date futher into the future (Spring in Ohio, gotta love it!)

5/5/2000 I called the local FSDO and explained the situation. I talked to one of the inspectors, Richard Leister. He said that he could issue my student pilot's certificate, but the medical part was out of his area of authority.

He said he will call OKC and get back to me. Later he called back and said that OKC said that it had been processed and mailed weeks ago, I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

5/8/2000 My medical/student pilot certificate came in the mail today! Interestingly enough, the postmark was May 5th. Coincidence? Maybe, but I'm betting that the call from Mr. Leister woke them up. At any rate, I'm legal (and soloed, on to the cross-countries!)

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